How to Save a Life
by kiyoshi-wheeler
Summary: [Kyou x Tohru] [AU] A story about how a rich boy saves a sweet girl from her death one rainy day. A story about how a sweet girl saves a rich boy from his own inner demons every day, and opens his eyes to a life he had never been able to embrace.
1. p r o l o g u e

**Hi there**!

I'm alive, surprisingly. I bet you're all thinking (at least those of you who have read my stories go) where DID SHE GO? Well, I've been here. Just not ... _here_.

But, here is my new Kyou x Tohru romantic fic to replace some of the stories I deleted. This story was inspired from a mixture of songs; How to Save a Life by The Fray and Gravity by Vienna Teng as the main ones. I love writing. : )

So, enjoy the story everyone! - **Kiyoshi**

* * *

**HOW TO SAVE A LIFE**  
-  
a _k y o r u_ **romance**.  
-  
**---- p r o l o g u e ----  
**_"We make a living by what we get,  
we make a life by what we give."_

* * *

****

**The** rain was heavy as it hit the window. Droplets chased each other and ate away at still ones, continuously falling down, in an offbeat pattern. Thunder purred in the sky and lightening flashed every so often. It was a comfortable storm – most people would curl up with a book or in the arms of someone they love, watch a movie, or sleep. The trees and plants were being nurtured, some people jumped in puddles outside and couples were walking with umbrellas and laughing about something that was probably pointless.

But, for him, his day was what as pointless.

He just stood there staring out the window, like he had done when he was a child; always standing by the window and wanting to go outside, but never being able to. His mother always took him away and told him to come along, they'd do something fun. That usually only lasted for about five minutes before she grew angry and stomped upstairs. One of the maids or butlers would take him back up to his room and close the curtains, as he watched a small crack of sunlight peel through.

He was tired of it.

His mother was asleep and the maids and butlers were preparing dinner. It was a gray day outside and rainy, but even after seventeen years, today he felt like he'd suffocate if he stayed in his room any longer. Their family was rather rich; he had gaming systems, TVs, electronic devices and everything to make any other boy happy. But, he didn't have the chance to laugh and say he'd be back at dusk as he ran out the door to play soccer with his friends.

Friends; what did those feel like, again?

Yanking open the doors to his rather expansive closet, he turned on the light and tugged a jacket on, zipping it up and placing a beanie over his locks of ginger-orange, crimson eyes steady as he slipped into some tennis shoes and changed out of his black dinner slacks and into some torn jeans. The mirror told him what he really was; thin from hardly eating, yet he had a natural tan even though he was ever allowed outside. His hair fell over his light eyebrows and his face was handsome but had the resemblance of any seventeen year old, maybe even a younger boy. He clutched his fingers into a fist and turned from the mirror, shut off the light and exited the closet.

His room was big and open in appearance; he had a large bed with plush covers and pillows of the most comfortable kind. He had posters of his favorite bands and movies, and professionally done, modern art to cover other parts of the wall. His large TV and all gaming systems were in a corner of the room with a black gaming chair, a large looking black and white rug in the center of the room. He didn't like his room; he hated it. It had everything and then nothing – just like him.

He shoved his hands into his pockets after pulling on a crimson scarf over his black jacket. He gently closed the door to his room and walked down the stretching hallway, feeling like he was in a maze; art and fancy décor decorated the place. He then made his way down some spiraling stairs and through another door; closing it, the male sighed and was in the entryway of the first story of the house.

He had the whole second story to himself, only a door and another hallway upstairs blocking him from his mother and the maids.

It was torture.

He looked around casually and leaned forward to see the maids working in the kitchen preparing some dinner. Their two butlers were setting the large table and his lazy cat named Chuchi lounged on top of the grand piano, which was never used, in the living room. She lifted up and meowed, her eyes sparkling. He shook his head and she remained quiet, hopping off the piano to come to him, but he tiptoed his way to the door anyway, placing his hand on the knob.

The rain clouds and the storm waited outside for him; but, he had to open that door and get out there, release his wings, break from his chains, and run into the rain; feel it against his skin. It almost seemed impossible for a seventeen year old to never touch the outside world, but many possibilities of the new century made it achievable; home schooling, maids and butlers doing his things for him, being told to sleep all the time, being told that disease and hurt waited out there, being scared of the outside when he was merely a little child. His mother had traumatized and hypnotized him and he had obeyed her for a while, but …

Now he was nothing but a rebellious seventeen year old son to a cold mother, and he was getting out there.

Chuchi meowed, her orange body curling around his ankles, but he gently brushed her away. She looked sad; just like he had been. He was sad. They related in a way – they were both sad, and she probably wanted to get outside too. So she just sat and looked up at him, swishing her tail and mewing lightly.

Turning the knob and pushing the door behind him, nothing stopped him as he took his first step outside; as well as his first step into a life and experience that he would've never known if he hadn't **stepped out**.

* * *

**Disclaimer**:

Fruits Basket © _Natsuki Takaya_  
Plot and storyline © _kiyoshi-wheeler_ (me)

Thanks for reading! c:

* * *


	2. c h a p t e r o n e

**Authoress Notes:**

So here is my new Kyouru story; updated? Yes, it is updated, you're looking at the real thing, not some mirage.  
I've actually had this chapter written out for some time, I just was lazy to go through the process of actually updating it, heh. c:  
You love me anyway though!

Thanks to all those that reviewed.  
You all are pretty much _amazing_. x3

**

* * *

**

**HOW TO SAVE A LIFE  
-  
**a _k y o r u_ **romance.  
****-  
**---- **c h a p t e r . o n e **----  
_"Life isn't fair.  
__It's just fairer than death, that's all."_

___**

* * *

**_

An hour or two passed ever since Kyou Sohma had run from his home. Experiencing the rain had been like experiencing sweets for the first time; surprising but delicious all at once, and you couldn't get enough. You wanted more and more, and grew excited with each drop or scoop you got. He stood there for a while; head tilted upward to the sky as he slid off his cap, letting his ginger hair get soaked by the rain and mat to his face. His clothes were drenched and heavy on his lean frame, but he didn't care; rivulets of the heavenly liquid dripped from his chin, eyelashes, lips and locks of hair. He held his hands up and smiled as the rain tickled his fingers and palms.

Kyou had jogged all the way into another neighborhood that was next to his. His house was located in an area where all rich people live, so being there felt only more suffocating. The neighborhood he was in now was comfortable and he liked it; he felt like he could live here and be a normal kid even. The teen opened his eyes and looked around, rubbing his wet hair – he was actually on the sidewalk, near the street outside the neighborhood which was bordered by a six foot tall wall and a small, nice gate that let about anyone enter. It was the type of neighborhood elderly people lived in, for the convenience of being in walking distance from the grocery and marketplace.

But, something on the street caught his eye and he turned, lifting an eyebrow in interest.

"Oh, no, pl-please Mr. Cat! I have to take this home!" A girl was standing in the street holding an umbrella over her head as her other hand held a plastic bag with goods in it. A cat, however, had the other strap and was glaring at her with glinting yellow eyes. It hissed and meowed and her eyes grew wide and worried. "I-I'll bring you some later! I-I promise, I must get this back to mother, and - Ah!"

The cat hissed and pawed the bag, tearing it open. It jumped back in surprise and the girl squeaked, watching it run off with something in its mouth – bread maybe? She sighed out in relief, but then bent down and held up the spoiled things in vain, sadly filling her arms. Her blue school uniform was dampened slightly, her brown hair fell around her shoulders and her small lips released a sigh as she stood with wobbly knees. That's when her eyes met his.

It was quick however – she tried to smile and wave to him, but things fell and she juggled to get them; Kyou stepped forward awkwardly to help her, but his ears picked up a noise. He heard a honking horn and screeching tires, coming close. Headlights were visible through the foggy sheets of rain and the girl was still obliviously picking up drop items in the middle of the road.

"Hey, LOOK OUT!" he cried, water splashing around his feet as he darted into the road. She lifted up and looked at him, the car coming right at her. She screamed and hugged the things to her chest, frozen in place as her eyes shut tightly. Kyou then jumped, held out his arms, closed his eyes and prayed that he came out of this alive.

**

* * *

**

« ☼ »

* * *

When Kyou opened his eyes he was lying on the ground, somehow on the other side of the street. His head was throbbing and he felt he had bruises and scrapes on his arms. His jacket had been torn, as well as some areas of his jeans and he felt numb, cold and wet. The rain continued to fall steadily around him.

Using his arm to hold his weight, he lifted up with a groan and looked around. Vision came to him and he noticed the girl, lying sprawled out on the pavement next to him, her back facing him. Immediately he remembered what happened and he lifted up quickly, despite the pain, soon kneeling next to the girl. Her eyes were closed, and he could see her face more clearly – she was about his age, with soft peach skin and brunette hair to about her shoulder-blades, tied back with blue ribbon. A school uniform hugged her body and was soaked by the rain. Her legs and arms were scratched, but nothing looked too bad.

He noticed how tiny she was, and she looked almost fragile.

He didn't know what to do in these situations; he twisted his lips and scratched his head. Feeling sticky, weird liquid other than rain, he blinked and looked at his fingers. Blood? He felt his head – lots of blood? He noticed then a stream trickled from his forehead, down his nose and then dripped from his chin. His eyes widened and he looked at his crimson fingers again – his head was bleeding. He felt tired, dizzy, and his eyes glazed over.

"_Hurt is out in that world; you don't need to feel that."_

He collapsed then, blacking out as he lay next to the girl, the rain pouring over both their bodies.

**

* * *

**

« ☼ »

* * *

"Mama, mama, be careful … that may sting."

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be fine, Tohru."

_Tohru? Mama?_

One crimson colored eye slowly opened; he heard footsteps, some cabinets sliding open as well as the sound of soft slippers against a wooden floor.

"Oh, he's awake!" _That girl_. Her voice was familiar, but was it her? Yes, yes, it was. He saw her, even if his vision was blurry; brown hair, petite body, and he realized she had blue eyes. She was changed out of her uniform and into more comfortable clothes, her hair twisted into a braid that hung lazily over her shoulder. She was cleaned up as if nothing had happened; the rain, however, still beat on the roof outside, and the grayness was visible from the window in the room.

"Morning, sunshine!" Kyou opened both his eyes and saw another figure shuffling into the room rather boisterously. She had hazel eyes, large and untouched with make-up, her hair the color of Kyou's, cut in a bob that bounced around her womanly shaped face. She was a head taller than this 'Tohru' girl, and looked to be her mother, even though they looked nothing alike. She set some blankets down and took the pillow from under his head, replacing it with another.

"Hope you got some rest; do you feel better?"

"… Uh …" Kyou lifted up quickly, but vertigo slapped him. He held his fingers to his head and closed his eyes, feeling a bandage around a rather tender area. Ah right. He remembered the blood now, but realized, as he observed his fingers, he was not stained with it. His clothes were warm and soft, not drenched with rain. Had he … been changed? His face flushed a crimson color, and the lady laughed.

"Don't worry, hero, I'm a mom." He let his hand fall and he watched her. The brown-haired girl turned and grabbed a silver tray that had been on the nightstand, and quickly took off out the door and down the hallway. He watched her until his head was roughly turned and a stinging, cold sensation touched his cheek.

"Ow!" he hissed, slapping the lady's hand away. She frowned; the lady had put alcohol to an open cut on his cheek, and it stung like the dickens.

"You're saying 'ow' to this when you dove in front of a moving car in the middle of the rain and nearly cracked your skull open? Kids. Just close your eyes and suck in your breath." Kyou obliged with distaste, and the sensation came again, and he cringed.

"I have some more water for you!" He opened one eye and saw the girl come back in; on the tray some well prepared snacks and a glass of cold ice water. She set the tray down and smiled at him.

He wanted to ask her why she was smiling, if she was okay, if that cat had ruined her dinner, if he could do anything to help, if he had hurt her when he pushed her away, how they had both gotten there safely, had her mom come along, did she carry him back, if anything had been salvageable, if this, if that. But all he could do was open his mouth like some stupid fish and then look away, rubbing his now bandaged cheek. The girl's mom smiled and lifted up, ruffling Kyou's orange head of hair. "Feel free to rest up here as long as you need to." She took some supplies and left the room, leaving a crack in the sliding door. Her footsteps then faded, and it was dead quiet.

"Um." Kyou lifted his head up and looked at Tohru, watching her as she pulled up a chair and sat down, folded hands in her lap. "Do you want me to stay in here with you?" she asked in a very shy, but determined tone, her blue eyes locking onto his crimson. All those questions came back again, but he just leaned against the headboard and sighed, speaking to this girl in only one word.

"Sure."

* * *

**Disclaimer**:

Fruits Basket © _Natsuki Takaya_  
Plot and storyline © _kiyoshi-wheeler_ (me)

Thanks for reading! c:

* * *


End file.
